Sandra Bullock might still be embarrassed by Speed 2: Cruise Control, but the actress is ready to reverse the “no sequels” rule that she has maintained since the release of 2005’s Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous.
Variety reports that during the premiere of The Lost City at SXSW, Bullock revealed that she is now more open to making sequels and could be ready to reverse her rule on not doing them. She explained that when she made the “bad” sequels, namely Speed 2 and Miss Congeniality 2, she felt she had no choice but to make them. She wasn’t at the point that she could freely turn down roles or have a real say in her career. However, now that she has grown in the industry and has more than proven herself as an actress and producer, she believes she can now do whatever role she wants, even if it is a sequel:
“I had a ‘no sequel’ rule when I didn’t have the benefit of fighting for what I really wanted. I feel like, in my old age, I’m learning to fight for the things that I think would be best on screen — and I don’t care who comes away from the meeting angry.”
It’s not hard to blame the actress as to why she decided to stop making sequels. 1997’s Speed 2: Cruise Control was the follow-up to the majorly successful Speed but the film went on to be a critical and financial failure. The film holds a very rotten score of 4% on Rotten Tomatoes and it grossed $48 million at the domestic box office against a reported $160 million budget.
2005’s Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous was also a bomb. Its 2000 predecessor was a sleeper hit, grossing $212 million worldwide on a $45 million budget. While the sequel grossed $101.3 million worldwide on a $45 million budget, the film bombed with critics at 15% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Bullock is crediting her producer partner on The Lost City, Liza Chasin, for changing her mind about sequels because she would love to work with her again, maybe even on a sequel to their current release if it proves to be successful. Before her change of heart on sequels, Bullock was asked frequently about doing a sequel to The Heat, in which she co-starred with Melissa McCarthy. That film was also hugely successful, grossing $229 million worldwide on a $43 million budget. Sequel talk started soon after its release but Bullock shut those talks down pretty much right away. Now that she’s more open to sequels, maybe that’s one she wouldn’t mind exploring.
What are YOUR thoughts on Sandra Bullock reversing her no sequels rule?